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Our State Advocacy

State Advocacy at Compassion & Choices

Compassion & Choices works with state House and Senate lawmakers to improve end-of-life care by supporting legislation that allows people to be the primary deciders in their end-of-life care.

Find the Latest Updates in Your State

Use the dropdown button below to find updates, resources, and opportunities to get involved in your state.


Medical Aid in Dying State Advocacy

Compassion & Choices is leading efforts to authorize, implement and defend medical aid in dying in each state so all terminally ill people who are eligible will have access to the full range of end-of-life care options. 

Medical aid in dying is authorized in 11 jurisdictions: California, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Hawai‘i, Maine, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont and Washington.

2023 Legislative Highlights

During the 2023 legislative session, 15 states introduced 25  bills* (including carryovers) to authorize medical aid in dying. Many of the bills moved further in the process than they had previously but none were able to pass legislation this year.

6 Bills were introduced to improve medical aid in dying laws:  Hawai‘i, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont and Washington. We are primarily seeing the following types of improvements:
  • Allowing advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants to practice medical aid in dying (Hawai‘i & Washington).
  • Reducing the waiting period or allowing it to be waived (Hawai‘i, New Jersey and Vermont).
  • Eliminating the residency requirement (Oregon and Vermont).
  • Improving transparency (Washington).

Legislative Action Alerts

Medical Aid In Dying In Brief - week ending November 17, 2023.

Illinois

  • On November 13, C&C's Amy Sherman and storyteller Deb Robertson appeared as guest panelists on the Emmy award-winning series Chicago Tonight.

Amy Sherman and storyteller Deb Robertson appeared as guest panelists on the Emmy award-winning series Chicago Tonight

 

New York

  • On November 17, the New York State Bar Association (NYBSA) held a half-day open forum on medical aid in dying, where 21 supporters of the state's Medical Aid in Dying Act including terminally ill individuals, doctors, family members and representatives from significant statewide organizations testified. The forum will influence NYSBA’s Task Force on Medical Aid in Dying, which will deliver a recommendation to its House of Delegates in January.


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